ANNAPOLIS, Md., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmAthene, Inc., a leading
biodefense company focused on the development and commercialization of
medical countermeasures to combat bioterrorism, presented data last week at
the Bioscience Review 2006 meeting, outlining a newly-developed
manufacturing process to facilitate commercial-scale production of the
Company's recombinant human butyrylcholinesterase product, Protexia(R).
Protexia is being developed by PharmAthene as a pre and post-exposure
therapy for military or civilian victims of a chemical nerve agent attack.
Protexia is a recombinant form of human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a
naturally occurring protein found in minute quantities in blood. BChE
functions as a natural bioscavenger, like a sponge, to absorb toxins such
as organophosphate (OP), nerve agents (sarin, soman, tabun, VX) and certain
pesticides, before they cause irreversible neurological damage.
While the utility of BChE to protect against nerve agent exposure is
well documented, a major limitation in its development has been the
inability to produce it in commercial volumes due to limited raw material
availability (outdated blood), low levels of the enzyme in blood, and low
production yields using traditional biotechnology methods.
To overcome these limitations, PharmAthene has developed a recombinant
form of human BChE, (rBChE), which is produced using proprietary transgenic
technology, enabling substantially larger production yields than what is
currently possible using other expression systems of through purification
of the native protein from human plasma. PharmAthene estimates that its
transgenic technology will have the capacity to produce sufficient rBChE
for both military and civilian defence.
Solomon Langermann, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer,
remarked "Our discovery of a new pathway for the manufacture of commercial-
scale quantities of BChE is an important milestone in the Protexia
development program. Using this new method we have already successfully
produced more than 3 kilograms of rBChE. Additional efforts are ongoing to
further refine a scalable manufacturing process in support of preclinical
toxicology and safety testing."
Dr. Langermann continued, "Preclinical research conducted by
PharmAthene's development partners, the US Army Medical Research Institute
of Chemical Defence (USAMRICD) and DRDC Suffield, the Defence Research and
Development arm of the Canadian Government, have demonstrated in in-vivo
studies, rBChE's capability as a medical countermeasure to protect
laboratory animals from the toxic effects of chemical nerve agents. In
proof of concept studies, pre- treatment with rBChE provided 100% survival
against the nerve agents VX and soman. In post-exposure therapeutic
studies, administration of rBChE following chemical nerve agent exposure
resulted in enhanced survival compared to control animals. Results from
several of these studies were reported by USAMRICD and DRDC at the 2006
Bioscience Review meeting, which was held June 4-9 in Hunt Valley,
Maryland."
About Chemical Weapons
Chemical weapons use the toxic properties, as opposed to the explosive
properties, of chemical substances to produce physical or physiological
effects on an enemy. Classical chemical weapons, such as chlorine and
phosgene, were employed during World War I and consisted primarily of
commercial chemicals used as choking and blood agents, which caused
respiratory damage and asphyxiation. The advent of such blistering agents
as mustard gas, which causes painful burns necessitating medical attention
even in low doses, marked the first chemical weapons to produce a
significant military effect.
Organophosphate nerve agents, or anti-cholinesterase agents, were
discovered by the Germans in the 1930's following intensive research into
new insecticides. Their discovery represents the beginning of modern
chemical warfare. These agents cause toxicity by binding to and inhibiting
acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme in the body that is essential for nervous
system function, leading to increases in acetylcholine and "cholinergic
crisis" that can cause loss of muscle control, respiratory failure,
paralysis, convulsions, permanent brain damage and eventually death.
These so-called nerve gases, which are actually all liquids at room
temperature, are lethal far more quickly and in far lower quantities than
are the other classical chemical warfare agents (vesicants, choking and
blood agents) and are effective both when inhaled and when absorbed through
the skin. Nerve agents can be classified as either G-agents (sarin, soman,
tabun) or V-agents (VX), both of which are exceedingly volatile and toxic.
About Protexia: Recombinant Human Butyrylcholinesterase
PharmAthene acquired the Protexia program and related assets from Nexia
Biotechnologies in January, 2005. Protexia is a form of recombinant human
butyrylcholinesterase (rBChE), a potent organophosphate (OP) scavenger
protein produced in the milk of transgenic goats, which is being developed
for use as a prophylactic and therapeutic against acute organophosphate
(OP) nerve agent toxicity, as well as cocaine overdose or succinylcholine
induced apnea. BChE acts as a natural OP scavenger, binding OP's in a
stoichiometric irreversible manner and preventing further damage.
About PharmAthene, Inc.
PharmAthene, a privately-held biotechnology company, was formed to meet
the critical needs of the United States by developing biodefense products.
PharmAthene is dedicated to the rapid development of important and novel
biotherapeutics to address biological pathogens and chemicals that may be
used as weapons of bioterror. PharmAthene's lead programs include
Valortim(TM), a treatment for anthrax, and Protexia, a treatment for nerve
agent exposure. PharmAthene is located in the Chesapeake Innovation Center
in Annapolis, MD, America's first business accelerator for the homeland and
national security sectors. For more information on PharmAthene, please
visit http://www.PharmAthene.com.
SOURCE PharmAthene, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.pharmathene.com
CONTACT:
Stacey Jurchison, Director of Education of
PharmAthene, Inc., +1-410-571-8925, Cell: +1-410-474-8200,
jurchisons@pharmathene.com
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